Equine Medicine

Washington -- A summary of the latest research on equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM), based on interviews with 18 veterinarians or state equine program managers who dealt with outbreaks in recent years, is available through the USDA?s Animal and Plant Health Inspections Services' (APHIS) Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health (CEAH).

Lexington, Ky. -- The Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC) board of directors approved new national laboratory standards for racehorse drug testing and created an accreditation program for laboratories, along with an independent Equine Quality Assurance Program to provide third-party examination of testing labs.

Raleigh, N.C. -- The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) is adding a second "Focus" continuing-education session this year, offering two days of lectures and a day of laboratories on equine ophthalmology in October.

Osteoarthritis is a common problem for the athletic horse and has been estimated to cause 60 percent of lameness cases in the athletic horse.

National Report -- Investigators continue to look for the source of an outbreak that has spread to 48 states.

Furosemide decreases bleeding in racehorses, according to a new study released from the University of Pretoria, Colorado State University (CSU) and the University of Melbourne.

Baton Rouge, La. -- Environmental contaminants at racetracks could possibly skew the results of drug tests in racehorses, according to a researcher at Louisiana State University's School of Veterinary Medicine.

Austin, Texas -- What is reported to be the nation's first case of vesicular stomatitis (VS) for 2009 was detected in a horse in Starr County, one of Texas' southernmost counties.

Horse owners open to reopening of U.S. processing plants, according to survey.

Three new courses are available on The Ohio State University's Web site.

Lakewood, Colo. -- The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) released a 12-page consensus statement on equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) as a guide to veterinarians in managing the disease.

Lexington, Ky. -- The Kentucky Horse Council (KHC) is offering incentives for stallion castration in an effort to address the neglected horse issue in the state.

Lexington, Ky. -- A racetrack veterinarian recently suspended for five years for medication violations, including possession of cobra venom, filed suit against the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission to have the suspension overturned, claiming that it was "not supported by substantial evidence, is arbitrary and/or an abuse of discretion."

The best way to prolong the efficacy of deworming programs is to use vaccinations and sound nutrition in conjunction with the right anthelmintics.

Veterinarian's horse beats 50-1 odds to win this year's Kentucky Derby - then nearly repeats the performance at the Preakness.

Recovery from malnutrition, starvation takes time, patience.

Pulmonary or systemic fungal infections in horses historically have resulted in a high mortality rate.

It's one of the most common causes of colic in the newborn foal.

Blacksburg, Va. -- Virginia Tech's Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center is eliminating a handful of positions as a result of economic woes.

A law passed last fall that made it a felony for a non-veterinarian to practice equine dentistry has essentially been overturned.

Davis, Calif. -- This week the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine opened its new stem-cell therapy laboratory.

Roseland, N.J. -- A veterinary program launched four months ago to provide vaccines for unwanted horses through equine rescue and retirement facilities so far has helped more than 1,400 horses nationwide, organizers report.

A new study has cemented the fact that obese horses are more likely to die from laminitis.

National Report -- The latest update on the nationwide outbreak of contagious equine metritis (CEM) that began about five months ago shows 18 stallions in six states and five mares in three states so far confirmed CEM-positive by the USDA's National Veterinary Services Laboratories.

Plum Island, N.Y. -- The risk of African horse sickness virus (AHSV) and bluetongue virus (BT) entering the United States is considered low, but the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is rewriting the nation's emergency response plans, saying pathways do exist for them to enter the country.

Raleigh, N.C. -- A new brachytherapy facility at North Carolina State Veterinary Teaching Hospital allows horse owners with animals suffering from skin cancer to choose less lengthy, more accurate treatment.

Early detection and treatment are the cornerstones of successful management of osteoarthritis, and hyaluronate sodium is an important part of that treatment.

For nearly 20 years, equine dentistry has been considered a veterinary act in Oklahoma.

Equine piroplasmosis is an infectious disease of international importance.

Kennett Square, Pa. - Research into the causes and treatment laminitis, along with wide-ranging collaboration are the driving forces behind the newly established Laminitis Institute at the University of Pennsylvania.